The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-08

testified to the infamous management of the
hospital, the system under which wretched
supplies were furnished for the highest price,
the vile butter, the brutal attendants, the dis
agreements between himself and the board
Even the Sentinel is forced to announce that
his testimony is unfavorable to the institu-
ton. The public denunciation becomes so
strong that the reelection of Harrison and
Gapen by the General Assembly is impossible.
Then the Sentinel wheels to the right about
and assumes the Office of reformer-in-ch chief, be-
coming more sanguinary than the Repub-
licans. In an article entitled "Let the Light
in" it says:
"If villainy abides in that noble charity let
it be unkenneled. The time has come for
scrutiny, for exposure and for justice.
The evidence for the prosecution
has been extremely damaging. This must be
admitted A committee of the Senate,
a majority being Democratic, ruthlessly ex-
posed the southern prison abomination. The
Democratic party now looks to another Senate
committee for equally honest performance
in the matter of the Insane Hospital scandal.
Harm never came to party from the fidelity
of its representatives to the people. The thing
to do is to give the cold truth without regard
to individuals The reform must go on until
the people are convinced that the management
of their cherished charities has been raised
above scandal and suspicion.
In another article, entitled '"The Benevo-
lent Institutions" the Sentinel said
"Mr. Sellers's proposition contemplates the
appointment of a board of trustees by the
Governor and the abolition of the present
boards. The Senate will consider it to-day
The passage of this bill will put the manage
ment of the institutions upon more satisfac-
tory basis 1t will establish the authority of
the Governor over the trustees making him
share the responsibility for their satisfactory
conduct. The disclosures at the
southern prison show that the present system
of running State institutions is unsatisfac-
tory, therefore Senator Sellers is justified in
proposing his bill,ewhich changes the system
radically. The system will not do"
1t will be remembered that the system
was Democratic system introduced by the
Brown bill four years ago.l The Sentinel
further says:
"The Democratic propositions as made by
Senators Barrett and Sellers went to the root
of the evil. the joint convent on. They pro-
posed to abolish entirely elections of trustees
and directors by joint convention, for therein
the primal mischief lies. That is what the
people want"
But the Sentinel, which had been frightened
out of its wits into the expression of these
worthy sentiments, is soon 'tbraced up" again
upon finding that there will be no election,
and that Harrison and Gapen are likely to
hold over. The Senate committee make a re-
port SO mendacious that its falsehoods are ex-
posed by the evidence which accompanies it.
The report is adopted by strict party vote.
The Sentinel now comes to the rescue and
declares that everything has been all right in
the Insane Hospital and that no reform is
needed. These are its words:
"a complete refutal-Report of the Senate
committee on the Insane HospitaI-The best
managed institution to be found in America
and in Europe-Every charge made by the
Republican State central committee over
thrown-The favorable evidence of one hum
bred and twenty-fv wtnesses-The food
supply excellent-IEe management extraor-
dinarily economical-Messrs. Foul1e, Swift
and Morton shown to have made charges
without knowledge-An emphatic vindication
in every way"
Having delivered itself of this remarkable
evidence of disqualification, the Sentinel
again relapses into silence and outer darkness.
When at last Governor Gray, yielding to the
overwhelming pressure of public opinion
'fres out" these unworthy trustees, he finds
the Sentinel SO stricken with paralysis that it
can do nothing more than feebly echo the
words of the Anderson Democrat. 1t has
rallied the hosts of Democracy and led them
to every point of the compass,
up hill and down dale; nrst to the right, then
to the left. and then back to the base of sup
plies. It is now afflicted with mute imbe-
cility and can go no further.
But the old-fashioned Dem ocrat, who wants
to follow the party, where is he to 60? What
is he to think about this business2 Is Gov
Gray right, or is Harrison right Did the
Sentinel inform him truly when it said that
the people wanted change, or is he to be-
ieve that the asylum management is perfect
Just as it isl What is he to think of the abil-
ity of party organ which puts him in such
a predicamentP The Democracy, of course is
right, but which part Of the Democracy
Let US hear from our esteemed contem porary
once more that this matter may be straight
ened out at last
THE gTPpET-P